Consultative committee Photo by Pathricia Ann V. Roxas/黑料社
The Consultative Committee (Con-com) tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to draft a federal Charter has adopted provisions that would eradicate political turncoatism in the country.
In an en banc session聽on Wednesday, the Con-com finalized and approved three sections which were titled 鈥淧olitical Party Registration,鈥� 鈥淧arty Candidate Selection and Nomination鈥� and 鈥淧arty-switching ban.鈥�
Under the section on Party-switching ban, 鈥渁ny member of a political party elected to public office is prohibited from changing political parties within their term of office.鈥�
In addition, 鈥渁ny candidate for public office or any official of a political party is prohibited from changing political parties聽within two years聽immediately after an election and two years before the succeeding election.
It also states that candidates who violate these provisions would lose the position to which they were elected, be barred from being immediately appointed to a public office, prohibited from running in the next election, and reimburse funds to his or her party if the group funded his or her campaign.
For the Political Party Registration section, 鈥渢he State shall ensure the development and strengthening of political parties as mechanisms of citizen representation and democratic governance.鈥�
Financial contributions from foreign governments and their agencies, and criminal sources, 鈥渟hall be an additional ground for the cancellation of (political parties鈥�) registration with the Commission on Elections, in addition to other penalties that may be prescribed by law.鈥�
Likewise, the section on Party Candidate Selection and Nomination, 鈥減olitical parties shall be freely established and open to all citizens who share the same party program, adhere to the party constitution, and practice party discipline.鈥�
Parties would also assist in democratic public education and promotion of democratic values, as well as providing equal representation of women candidates in every election. /jpv
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